Small Greek Island Research Articles

Evaluating Rainwater Harvesting Systems for Water Scarcity Mitigation in Small Greek Islands under Climate Change

Rainfall variability, exacerbated by climate change, poses significant challenges to water resource management, particularly in regions prone to intense droughts and floods. The Greek islands, characterized by poor water potential, face interannual water supply issues dating back to their earliest habitation. Rainwater harvesting (RWH) systems emerge as a promising solution to address water scarcity in these regions. This study simulates RWH systems for two small Greek islands, Fourni and Nisyros, representing similar rainfall regimes. Multiple scenarios are explored, and system reliability is assessed in light of simulated daily rainfall time series incorporating climate change projections. Utilizing eight low/medium (RCP 4.5) and eight high (RCP 8.5) emission scenarios over a future 35-year period, the study evaluates system reliability based on model parameters (collection area: 40 to 140 m2, rainwater tank volume: 5 to 30 m3, number of household members: 2, 3), with 30% coverage of total daily water demand (180 L/d). Negligible evapotranspiration effects are assumed due to closed-type tanks. Results indicate that the RWH system demonstrates high efficiency in general. The investigation for the future period revealed that the system’s performance varies, with instances where daily demand targets are not met, even with a 30 m3 tank. This research underscores the potential of RWH systems as a cost-effective “green” solution, particularly in regions with deficient rainfall regimes. It highlights the importance of localized water management strategies, reducing reliance on mainland water transportation, and assisting desalination unit operations. In conclusion, this study contributes to the assessment of RWH systems, demonstrating their viability as a sustainable water management solution in regions facing water scarcity, contingent on local rainfall conditions and system design parameters.

Insights into 15 years of transdisciplinary research on a small Greek island

Small islands offer unique conditions for studying human-nature relations. Our study uses the real-world laboratory concept to reflect on a long-term transdisciplinary research process that aimed to facilitate a sustainability transition for an entire island.This article introduces a long-term transdisciplinary research process on the Greek island of Samothraki, aiming at sustainability solutions that are not only scientifically sound, but also co-designed, well received and adopted by the local community. We reflect on 15 years of socioecological research by utilizing the conceptual lens of real-world laboratories (RwLs). We present the research approach pursued on the island, based on a sociometabolic understanding of society-nature interaction, by relating local natural resources (and their self-regenerating capacities) to their social utilization and the resulting environmental pressures. We reflect on the research activities by using an established evaluation framework based on the three RwL principles: the “lab context”, “experiments”, and “interventions”. We describe success and setbacks by integrating, as objects of evaluation, the research process, its outputs, outcomes, and impacts. While we can certainly showcase success in terms of research design, scientific outputs, and institutional outcomes, gauging potential impacts poses a more challenging task.

Designing Cultural Routes as a Tool of Responsible Tourism and Sustainable Local Development in Isolated and Less Developed Islands: The Case of Symi Island in Greece

Responsible tourism practices promote the idea that responsibility refers to both visitors and local communities, ensuring the protection and conservation of the natural environment and cultural heritage and contributing to a better quality of life. The role of “sustainability” in a tourist development strategy is to protect and reveal what already exists (“reuse, recycle, renovate”) rather than consume. In these terms, cultural routes can serve as valuable tourism assets that can attract visitors and generate economic activity, while protecting the environmental and cultural heritage. This study is focused on Symi, a small and remote Greek island better known as a religious tourism destination, examining how cultural routes could be at the core of an economic development and social cohesion strategic plan. Symi served as a case study due to the island’s rich cultural and natural heritage, including historic buildings, natural attractions, monuments, and archaeological sites. The revealing of those assets is crucial for the advancement of an integrated local strategy for cultural tourism in terms of responsible tourism. The primary objective of this study is to analyze how the development of a cultural routes network, integrating monuments from diverse historical periods, significant religious sites, and areas of significant architectural and environmental value, can contribute to a responsible tourism approach and further a sustainable development that generates multiple benefits for the local community in an insular region.

Tackling Single-Use-Plastic in small touristic islands to reduce marine litter: co-identifying the best mix of policy interventions

Marine litter is a worldwide issue affecting local communities with increasing environmental and economic impacts, with Single-Use-Plastic (SUP) pollution being of specific concern. The tourism industry has been identified as one of the major sector contributing to marine plastic pollution therefor in need to take urgent actions. Small islands are particularly vulnerable and need locally adapted strategies to effectively tackle this issue. This study proposes the use of a participative system-based approach to co-design, with local stakeholders, a roadmap tackling Single-Use-Plastic (SUP) in the hospitality industry of small Greek touristic islands. Policy, industry, civil society and academia representatives were involved in a participative co-creation process to co-identify the best mix of policy instruments and innovations (social and technological) adapted to the local island context, capable of reducing plastic consumption and littering in the island while fostering behavioural change (from consumers and local businesses perspective). Results show the lack of knowledge and awareness, the limited financial resources and expertise, and the low efficiency of the waste management system as the main challenges. A roadmap of short and mid-term actions, based on the Circular Economy reduce, reuse, recycle principles was co-developed, including raising awareness campaigns across stakeholder groups, positive economic incentives, development of capacity building and partnerships within the quadruple helix (academia, business, public authorities and civil society representatives), forming the basis of the municipal island free SUP strategy. The active involvement of public and private actors as well as the civil society, empowering local actors and developing trust across stakeholder groups are key factors to develop a successful strategy able to tackle plastic pollution locally. Pilot experiments also proved to be a determinant for the adoption of sustainable solutions in the context of small islands.

The Alonissos Study: Cross-Sectional Study of the Healthcare Access and User Satisfaction in the Community of a Non-Profit-Line Greek Island.

Healthcare access and a high quality of the provided services to healthcare users are fundamental human rights according to the Alma Ata Declaration of 1978. Although 45 years have passed since then, health inequalities still exist, not only among countries but also within populations of the same country. For example, several small Greek islands have only a small Primary Healthcare Center in order to provide healthcare services to the insular population. In the current study, we investigated the level of self-reported overall, dental and mental health status and the level of satisfaction regarding the access to and the quality of the healthcare services provided by the Primary Healthcare center of Alonissos, along with registering the requirements for transportation to the mainland in order to receive such services. In this questionnaire-based cross-sectional study, 235 inhabitants of the remote Greek island of Alonissos that accounts for nearly 9% of the population participated (115 males and 120 females). The self-reported overall health status was reported to be moderate to very poor at a percentage of 31.49%, and the results were similar for dental and self-reported mental health status. Although nearly 60% of the participants reported very good/good quality of the healthcare provision, only 37.45% reported that the access to healthcare was very good/good, while around 94% had at least one visit to the mainland in order to receive proper healthcare services. Strategies for improving access to healthcare services need to be placed in remote Greek islands like Alonissos.

Competition and Pass-Through: Evidence from Isolated Markets

We measure how pass-through varies with competition in isolated oligopolistic markets with captive consumers. Using daily pricing data from gas stations on small Greek islands, we study how unanticipated and exogenous changes in excise duties are passed through to consumers in markets with different numbers of retailers. We find that pass-through increases from 0.4 in monopoly markets to 1 in markets with four or more competitors and remains constant thereafter. The speed of price adjustment is about 60 percent higher in more competitive markets. Finally, we show that geographic market definitions based on measures of distance across sellers often result in signifi-cant overestimation of the pass-through. (JEL H22, H25, L13, L81)

The sociometabolic transition of a small Greek island: Assessing stock dynamics, resource flows, and material circularity from 1929 to 2019

Their geomorphological characteristics make island systems special focal points for sustainability challenges. The Circular Economy (CE) Action Plan of the European Union foresees tailored solution sets for Europe's outermost regions and islands to tackle region-specific sustainability challenges. We address the question of how islands can achieve more sustainable resource use by utilizing the socioeconomic metabolism (SEM) framework to assess and explore CE strategies for the Greek island of Samothraki. For this purpose, we apply material and energy flow analysis on a regional level and derive, as one of the first studies, a complete time series from 1929 to 2019 for socioeconomic biophysical stocks and flows according to mass-balance principles for an island economy. Results show that in the past 90 years Samothraki's material stocks grew fivefold, domestic material consumption threefold, and solid waste generation fivefold. Samothraki transitioned from an almost entirely circular biophysical economy toward one in which 40% of input materials and 30% of output materials are estimated as non-circular. This transition resulted in an accumulated solid waste stock on the island almost half the size of current material stocks in use. With this study we aim at providing ideas and opportunities for achieving more sustainable and circular material use on small islands. The published SEM database aims at supporting the public and the private sector and the island community at large with information key to establishing more sustainable material and energy use patterns on Samothraki. This article met the requirements for a Gold–Gold JIE data openness badge described at http://jie.click/badges.

Promoting Tourists’ Destinations in Greece with Social Media: The Case of Kimolos Island

Purpose: The paper examines how social media presents Kimolos, a small Cycladic island in the Aegean Sea, to future travelers. This research provides valuable information regarding the actions taken by Kimolos and the local enterprises' actions in promoting the island and the local products and attracting tourists using social media. Methodology/Approach/Design: Quantitative research and qualitative methods were used for the collection of data. Data were collected during the period between May and June 2018. Findings: Enterprises in Kimolos have realized the potential to use the world wide web and social media to promote their services. The municipality of Kimolos, on the other hand, do not use social media at the time that the research took place, but it is planning to use it in the future. Practical implications: This research seeks to show tourism professionals the use of social networks and encourage them to use them. Originality/Value: There is limited research in Greece about promoting services and products through social media in small Greek islands.

Remotely Sensed Data Fusion for Spatiotemporal Geostatistical Analysis of Forest Fire Hazard.

Forest fires are a natural phenomenon which might have severe implications on natural and anthropogenic ecosystems. Future projections predict that, under a climate change environment, the fire season would be lengthier with higher levels of droughts, leading to higher fire severity. The main aim of this paper is to perform a spatiotemporal analysis and explore the variability of fire hazard in a small Greek island, Skiathos (a prototype case of fragile environment) where the land uses mixture is very high. First, a comparative assessment of two robust modeling techniques was examined, namely, the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) knowledge-based and the fuzzy logic AHP to estimate the fire hazard in a timeframe of 20 years (1996–2016). The former technique was proven more representative after the comparative assessment with the real fire perimeters recorded on the island (1984–2016). Next, we explored the spatiotemporal dynamics of fire hazard, highlighting the risk changes in space and time through the individual and collective contribution of the most significant factors (topography, vegetation features, anthropogenic influence). The fire hazard changes were not dramatic, however, some changes have been observed in the southwestern and northern part of the island. The geostatistical analysis revealed a significant clustering process of high-risk values in the southwestern and northern part of the study area, whereas some clusters of low-risk values have been located in the northern territory. The degree of spatial autocorrelation tends to be greater for 1996 rather than for 2016, indicating the potential higher transmission of fires at the most susceptible regions in the past. The knowledge of long-term fire hazard dynamics, based on multiple types of remotely sensed data, may provide the fire and land managers with valuable fire prevention and land use planning tools.

An Approach to the Worth-Living Integrated Development of Small Isolated Greek Islands: The Case of Agios Efstratios Isl., Northern Aegean

An Approach to the Worth-Living Integrated Development of Small Isolated Greek Islands: The Case of Agios Efstratios Isl., Northern Aegean

Spatial planning of fire-agency stations as a function of wildfire likelihood in Thasos, Greece

Even though wildfires constitute a natural phenomenon, they may have severe implications with respect to the socioeconomic structure of the affected population and the ecological wealth of a territory, especially when they burn under high intensities. Timing of the initial attack is thus crucial to fire control in areas that fires are considered to be under high threat of burning. The aim of this paper is to investigate the combined use of simulation modeling and spatial optimization to assess the pre-positioning of fire-management resources on a small Greek island, Thasos, based on the current and desired fire agency capabilities, maximization of environmental protection, and rationalization of financial resources. The estimation of burn probability (BP) depicted specific areas of high fire hazard in the southern, central, and western part of the island, where essential preventive measures should be undertaken. Based on this result, BP was then used as a primary input for the assessment of optimal locations of fire operation agencies in order to achieve the maximal coverage under certain (already available) and minimum number of fire-fighting vehicles in different time windows. The results generated three differentiated optimal location schemes [8 available vehicles within either 10 (immediate response time) or 31 min (average response time) with the current fire resources; 19 and 2 required vehicles within 10 and 31 min, respectively, based on a minimum number of fire resources]. This type of information enables us to propose a relocation of the current fire agency in a southern town of the island. The flexibility and interaction of the models provide a framework for appropriate decision making under a set of political and financial constraints.

Listening to the voice of a pupil with autism spectrum condition in the educational design of a mainstream early years setting

ABSTRACT The research investigates the thoughts, needs, wishes and preferences of a pupil diagnosed with autism spectrum condition in regard to her daily experiences in a mainstream early years’ setting, in a small Greek island. The purpose of this case study was to explore and provide an example of how the designing of the Individual Learning Plan could be tailored to a specific pupil’s strengths and preferences, rather than the areas of need. The data were collected through observations, intensive interaction sessions, cameras, activities and questionnaires for parents, teacher and the pupil. The result depicted the pupil’s significant sensory needs, her desire for structured routine and visual aid, and her favourite places and activities. A special bond between the pupil and her one-to-one teacher was also apparent in all the tools. The ILP was implemented for the whole of spring and summer terms and had a positive impact on both the academic progress and social and emotional development of the pupil.

On a Romantic Island: Shakespeare and Mamma mia

The paper concerns the blockbuster musical film Mamma mia, loosely using some of Shakespearean patterns, topoi and plots. Set on a small Greek island, idylic and exotic, the film offers a contemporary romantic story with new/reversed roles in terms of gender, parenthood, sexuality, marriage and age, pointing to a different cultural paradigm. While the Shakespearean level is recast, remixed and probably less visible, the priority is given to the utopia of the 1970s and to the question of its outcome and transformation.

Mediterranean households, British colonial statistics and Greek insular landscapes: insights from nineteenth-century Antikythera

AbstractThis article addresses a 250-year episode of human colonisation, community growth and subsequent decline on the small Greek island of Antikythera (ad 1770 to present), focusing on rich documentary sources from four decades of British rule in the early nineteenth century. In particular, a series of nominal censuses and accompanying agricultural statistics can be combined with intensive landscape archaeological survey evidence to explore evidence for changing nineteenth-century households, household economies, and how these are manifest across an entire physical landscape. We also contextualise this well-recorded, most recent historical episode within the island's deeper population history stretching back at least seven millennia.

Sustainable Water Resources Management in Small Greek Islands under Changing Climate

Five different water resource management scenarios are examined on eight dry islands of the Aegean Sea in Greece, pitting the current practice of water hauling via ship against alternative water supply schemes in delivering a sustainable solution for meeting water demand. The first scenario employs current water supply practices along with the operation of domestic rainwater harvesting systems. Desalinated water, provided through the operation of wind-powered desalination plants, is considered the main source of potable water in the rest of scenarios. Wind-powered desalination may be combined with rainwater harvesting as a supplementary source of water and/or seawater pumping and an additional source of energy that is supplied to the system. All different alternatives are evaluated for a 30-year lifespan, and an optimal solution is proposed for each island, based on a life cycle cost (LCC) analysis. The performance of this solution is then assessed under six climate change (CC) scenarios in terms of the rate of on-grid versus off-grid renewable energy that is required in order to achieve a certain reliability level. Overall, the examined scenarios show a decreasing performance in terms of reliability under CC for the eight islands.

Photometric Analysis of Propolis from the Island of Samothraki, Greece. The Discovery of Red Propolis.

Propolis presents notable and variable antioxidant activity depending on the territory and the local flora. As a result, propolis collected from areas presenting botanical diversity can become an intriguing research field. In the present study, we examined propolis from different areas of Samothraki, a small Greek island in the north-eastern Aegean Sea, considered a hot-spot of plant biodiversity. The analysis of propolis samples presented huge variability in the antioxidant activity, the total polyphenol content and the total flavonoids content. Propolis from two areas presented high antioxidant activity with a maximum at 1741.48 μmol of Trolox equivalents per gram of dry propolis weight, very high polyphenol content, 378.73 mg of gallic acid equivalents per gram of dry propolis weight, and high flavonoid content with a maximum concentration of 70.31 mg of quercetin equivalents per gram of dry propolis weight. The samples that presented the best qualitative characteristics were all red propolis which is a type that has never been reported in any part of Europe.

Determination of fire risk to assist fire management for insular areas: the case of a small Greek island

Forest fire risk estimation constitutes an essential process to prevent high-intensity fires which are associated with severe implications to the natural and cultural environment. The primary aim of this research was to determine fire risk levels based on the local features of an island, namely, the impact of fuel structures, slope, aspects, as well as the impact of the road network and inhabited regions. The contribution of all the involved factors to forest fires ignition and behavior highlight certain regions which are highly vulnerable. In addition, the influence of both natural and anthropogenic factors to forest fire phenomena is explored. In this study, natural factors play a dominant role compared to anthropogenic factors. Hence essential preventative measures must focus on specific areas and established immediately. Indicative measures may include: the optimal allocation of watchtowers as well as the spatial optimization of mobile firefighting vehicles; and, forest fuel treatments in areas characterized by extremely high fire risk. The added value of this fire prediction tool is that it is highly flexible and could be adopted elsewhere with the necessary adjustments to local characteristics.

Our current knowledge of the Antikythera Mechanism

The Antikythera Mechanism is the oldest known mechanical calculator. It was constructed around the second century bce and lost in a shipwreck very close to the small Greek island of Antikythera. The shipwreck was discovered 2,000 years later, in 1900. The Mechanism was recognized in the spring of 1902 as a geared mechanical device displaying calendars and astronomical information. Application of modern imaging methods to the surviving fragments has led to general agreement on the basic structure of the device and its solar and lunar astronomical functions. The reading of the remains of its extensive inscriptions has shown that it was also intended to display the shifting position of the planets in the zodiac. In this review, we set out our view on what is known about the device, what can reasonably be conjectured and what major uncertainties still remain regarding its origin, context and purpose.

A Hybrid RES Distributed Generation System for Autonomous Islands: A DER-CAM and Storage-Based Economic and Optimal Dispatch Analysis

The possibility of replacing the existing autonomous thermal power plants by Distributed Energy Resources (DER) based on renewable energy sources (RES), along with the appropriate energy storage technologies in order to deal with the major problems that autonomous islands usually face was investigated. A case study of a small Greek island, which is confronted by various energy and water shortages, was studied for assessing the feasibility of DER deployment. The main objectives investigated were cost minimization, CO2 emissions minimization and DER reliability maximization. The DER-CAM (Distributed Energy Resources Customer Adoption Model) decision support tool was used for the multi-objective analysis conducted, which proposes a set of optimal solutions defining the appropriate Distributed Generation (DG) technologies, the capacities of storage and other technologies and the optimal dispatch of the DG system. A mutual beneficial solution, for all stakeholders, was proposed indicating the scope for developing such systems for all islands facing the same problems.

Optimal design and techno-economic analysis of an autonomous small isolated microgrid aiming at high RES penetration

Electrification demand in small isolated power systems is typically covered by autonomous power stations, mainly diesel-generators. The technical constraints introduced by diesel-generators along with the high cost of storage options confine the penetration of renewable energy sources (RES) in these systems. This paper examines the possibility of utilizing a RES-hybrid system for a small Greek island by exploring three different case scenarios. The first two include system configurations with gradual conventional fossil-fuel power reduction while in the third one we investigate if a nearly 100% renewable system is feasible. Techno-economic analyses ensure the technical feasibility of the systems and address their economic viability. Results showed that the conventional fossil-fuel power required for the first and the second scenario could be decreased 52% and 74% compared to the existing system and the system's overall by 17% and 26% respectively. RES-penetration reached 68% (first-scenario) and 74% (second-scenario) while the NPC value was calculated to 1.84 and 2.25 million euro respectively. A nearly 100% renewable energy system (third scenario) could be technically feasible but it would require the installation of enormous RES equipment capacity dramatically increasing the total cost. Finally, the social aspect and local acceptability of RES-projects in Greece are discussed.